Going into Week 15, the Philadelphia Eagles decided to make a coaching change, demoting Sean Desai from defensive coordinator and elevating senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia to the position.
The Eagles were hoping going from Desai to Patricia would help spark their ailing defense heading into the playoffs. Thus far, it hasn’t worked out like they had hoped.
After allowing 22 second-half points in a nail-biting win over the New York Giants two weeks ago, Philadelphia surrendered 35 points—at home—in a devastating four-point loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday.
Not only has the switch to Patricia not solved Philly’s defensive issues, but the late-season adjustment has not been easy for the Eagles’ defensive players.
“It’s a hard thing to do,” said edge rusher Haason Reddick, via Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s our job at the end of the day, so it’s not complaints about it. But yes, that was definitely a hard thing, right? You spent so much time with one DC, and learning a new DC at that, at the beginning of the year and trying to learn everything he wants us to do. His terminology. The way that he calls things. And then, you know, toward the end of the season, we switch.”
While Reddick is choosing his words carefully, it’s blatantly obvious that he thinks changing defensive coordinators this late in the year may not have been the wisest move, and you have to assume that many other players in Philadelphia’s locker room share similar sentiments.
Still, Reddick isn’t making any excuses.
“But like I said, at the end of the day, it must get done,” he added. “That’s what the higher-ups here felt was needed to get done in order to try to make a change and get some things corrected. As players, we’ve got to go out there and do our best to perform.”
Reddick was just named to his second straight Pro Bowl. Through 16 games, he has racked up 37 tackles and 11 sacks. Last season, he rattled off 49 tackles, 16 sacks and five forced fumbles.
The Eagles have lost four of their last five games to fall to 11-5. They can still win the NFC East, but it will require a win over the Giants in their regular-season finale coupled with a Dallas Cowboys loss to the Washington Commanders this Sunday.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
